How to Validate Your Invention Idea

June 13, 2016

1:29 pm

0 Shares

You’ve conceived an amazing new product, app, or other new device. That’s amazing. Most people never move beyond the stage of lamenting why somebody hasn’t come up with the solution of some problem. You have gone much further than that by doing the research and legwork that it takes to turn that initial bit of creative thought into a real product.

Now, you have another task in front of you. You have to find a way to validate your concept. After all, this is what investors are going to look for when you are pitching your idea to them. Check out the following steps that you can take to help ensure that your invention or innovation idea will gain traction.

Hit the Pavement and Approach Potential Customers

If you have a prototype in hand, it’s time to hit the streets and go door to door or business to business. Identify your potential market and find out what they think. Show them your product, offer them a trial run, and then listen to what they tell you. This will be some of the best feedback you will receive.

Go to Trade Shows and Gauge the Response You Receive

If you are ready to approach a bigger market, it might be time to create a demonstration and invest in participating in a trade show. This is a great way to introduce your product to a larger market and to get a good idea regarding whether or not you are ready to go to market. If you are going to market, trade shows are a great way to get the attention of people who are able to help you find sources of marketing or funding your invention. Fund an Idea is the platform to check in this case.

Talk to Other Inventors

Speaking of trade shows, don’t dismiss other inventors that you meet at events like Inpex. Instead, get to know them. It can be disturbing to learn that you are actually not the first person entering your space. On the other hand, you can can use this newly found knowledge to form collaborative relationships with your initial investors. If you have found support in a hive community or other online option for your child, it might be time to find the traffic to get this thing going. Remember that competition is tough but it ultimately creates a better and healthier marketplace for everyone. Other inventors can also walk you through challenges relating to quality control, copyrights, and other issues.

Get the Scientists in on the Deal

If you have a new invention to sell, some of the most important things to help you along the way can be evidence, case studies, and the endorsement of members of the scientific community. In fact, in some cases, this isn’t just a useful marketing tactic, getting an expert’s endorsement or having the results of a study that are in your favor, just might be key to helping you reach your target audience or backing your claims.

No idea is a good idea until it has been vetted through the eyes of the people who will be using it or those who have created things in the same space. If you can validate your invention idea, you can be confident that you have conceived something that is truly valuable.

Did you like this article?

Sorry about that. Try these articles instead!

Dianna is a former ESL teacher and World Teach volunteer, currently living in France. She's slightly addicted to apps and viral media trends and helps different companies with product localization and content strategies. You can tweet her at @dilabrien